matthew d
Ida Lupino was ahead of her time!
Ida Lupino's indie drama Not Wanted (1949) is seriously an amazing first feature film for Ida Lupino as a director in her own right. The former director Elmer Clifton got sick, so Lupino took the picture on to direct it herself. Lupino is such a talented director as she takes you on a touchingly emotional story with ultimate realism. You never feel like anything is phony or half hearted here. Not Wanted will hold up for years to come as a testament to Ida Lupino's skillful filmmaking and feminist lens. Lupino's direction comes across as truly kind to her young characters.
Not Wanted lets the audience relate to a teenage girl, who gets pregnant out of wedlock, then must give up her child. Lupino's script is about half a century ahead of her time as just last year abortion films are still regarded as groundbreaking. Her writing feels genuine with an empathetic female perspective. You can tell a woman wrote Not Wanted and I mean that as the highest possible compliment.
Lupino's direction is pure film noir with splashes of coming of age drama and a bit of romance in there. She has dream sequences, surreal imagery, profound empathy, and stellar cinematography from Henry Freulich. Lupino uses shadows, eyes, and inner pain like other directors use lighting. Not Wanted is beautifully shot with long dramatic takes and extended panning shots, so you're always with the lead actress.
Sally Forrest delivers a fierce leading actress performance as Sally Kelton. She feels like a real girl from a small town, who has gotten in over her head. Her range is phenomenal here as she must be dreamy, playful, overcome, sorrowful, guilty, hazy, deranged, astute, and finally relieved all in one role. Alongside Sally's sweet protagonist Sally is the very nice young man Keefe Brasselle as the gentle and patient Drew Baxter, who is kind to Sally. You genuinely like the kid.
I must mention that Sean Penn's father Leo Penn is fantastic as the selfish, older pianist Steve Ryan that seduces sweet Sally. You just hate his character, but that's why he works so effectively. Also, Ida Lupino's sister actress appears as the nice girl Joan in the unwed mothers hospice.
William H. Ziegler's editing is very attentive towards cutting to keep only what is necessary to tell this story. Thus, we get a sleek run-time of 91 brisk minutes of devastating drama. Leith Stevens' score is out of this world. From epic piano symphonies to powerful orchestral atmosphere, Not Wanted has it all.
In conclusion, seek out Ida Lupino's Not Wanted. You will feel destroyed at Lupino's moving drama. It will be worth it.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
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Audience Member
Ida Lupino direct good, Sally Forrest good act. (Sean Penn father Leo good act, too.)
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
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Audience Member
well crafted and successful drama marks ida lupino's directorial debut
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
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Audience Member
The acting does nothing but decorate the word "melodramatic," the sound quality and production value poor, the story uninteresting, and the characters unlikeable. Not Wanted definitely does not hold up
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
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Audience Member
While this is probably a movie that was provocative at the time, Not Wanted just comes off as dull today. The production value is poor, the acting is often sub par, and the chase scene at the end is supposed to be exciting, but it is too little and too late. Also, the ending is haphazard, leaving the rest of the story unclear for the few who might manage to be entertained by such a film.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/19/23
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Audience Member
This is better than it should be given how cheesy and corny much of it is. In particular, there are some fabulous stylistic moments such as the child birth scene which almost seems like something out of Eraserhead in the anxiety in projects.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/26/23
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